Slum Health: Arresting COVID-19 and Improving Well-Being in Urban Informal Settlements

Abstract

The informal settlements of the Global South are the least prepared for the pandemic of COVID-19 since basic needs such as water, toilets, sewers, drainage, waste collection, and secure and adequate housing are already in short supply or non-existent. Further, space constraints, violence, and overcrowding in slums make physical distancing and self-quarantine impractical, and the rapid spread of an infection highly likely. J Urban Health international aid, NGOs, and community groups to innovate beyond disaster response and move toward longterm plans.

COVID-19 related knowledge, attitudes, practices and needs of households in informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya

“…This presents the opportunity to work directly with health workers and NGO partners to share accurate guidance, connect people to the health system safely by helping detect symptoms, conducting tests (if available), reporting cases, and potentially community health workers (with appropriate safety precautions) can conduct screening and contact tracing and training. (36) There are both limitations and advantages to our study. We interviewed heads of household 18 years old and older, limiting our understanding of different members of the household mixing with those outside of it for a variety of reasons (e.g., earning income, social reasons, or accessing essential services), though we will collect this data in subsequent rounds to better inform epidemiological models.…”

Limiting potential COVID-19 contagion in squatting public toilets

“…Irrespective of the type of toilet, limiting toilet ush water splash may reduce oral-faecal contamination and save on sanitation costs. The current COVID-19 pandemic provides opportunities for strengthening public health systems globally, and it is time to consider long term optimal environmental plans beyond disaster response [21].…”

Epidemiological Transition of Covid-19 in India from Higher to Lower HDI States and Territories: Implications for Prevention and Control

“…Corburn et al suggest policies for covid--19 control in urban informal settlements. 30 These include science--based policies for arresting course of the disease, improving general medical care, provision of economic, social and physical improvements, and focus on urban poor including migrants and slum--communities. Microlevel strategies include institution of informal emergency planning committees in every urban informal settlement, moratorium on evictions, guaranteed payments to the poor, deploying trained community health workers, food assistance, waste management plan and plan for mobility and healthcare.…”

“…and Europe have focused on widespread testing for covid--19 virus using appropriate technologies, social (physical) distancing, quarantining of the cases using either hospital or home isolation and aggressive and rapid tracing of contacts and their isolation 30,31. Sridhar suggests the following eight public health interventions for covid--19 control: large scale testing--tracking--isolation; protection of healthcare workers; monitoring hotspots; watching for imports; clear and honest communication;…”